Gridiron Australia announced yesterday that Dr Jen Welter has been appointed as the Australian Outback Women’s National Team head coach and will lead the Outback at the upcoming IFAF Women’s World Championship in Langley, British Columbia a province of Canada.

Most gridiron fans will know of Welter from her time with the Arizona Cardinals, they hired Welter as an assistant coaching intern for training camp and the preseason; as such, she is the first female coach in the NFL. Her internship with the Cardinals expired after the team’s third preseason game on August 30, 2015.

Welter has an impressive football resume she was a member of the gold medal-winning Team USA at the IFAF Women’s World Championship in 2010 and 2013. Welter also went on to play for the Indoor Football League’s Texas Revolution where she was a running back.

“In 2010, I had the opportunity to represent Team USA in the inaugural Women’s World Championship. Under Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator John Konecki, Defensive Coordinator Anthony Stone and Special Teams Coordinator Mark Mclaughlin (Coach Mac), we committed to not only winning a gold medal but also to being International Ambassadors for the game of American Football. I am honoured to uphold this promise by assuming the Head Coaching role of Team Australia with my original Offensive Coordinator, John Konecki and Defensive Coordinator, Anthony Stone. These coaches had 2 profound impacts on my career and I know we will do the same for Team Australia. Additionally, I hope other teams will follow suit and continue to open doors and expand the roles of women in football and sport as a whole” – Head Coach Jennifer Welter

I think this is an exciting appointment for Gridiron Australia to have their first women’s national team to be head coached by a women. There are not many female coaches across Australia and this appointment may inspire more women to take up coaching.

We spoke to director of National Teams from Gridiron Australia Matt Steel to get his thoughts

Gridiron Australia is very excited on the appointment of Dr Jen Welter as Head Coach of the first Australian Outback Women’s National Team which will compete in the 2017 IFAF Women’s World Championship being hosted in Canada this coming June. Dr Welter is a great ambassador for the game of American Football and we hope that her involvement with the Australian Team will assist to strengthen the women’s competition around the country.

This appointment comes on the back of the Australian Outback Gridiron National Selection Camp which wrapped up last weekend. 71 women headed into the camp from all over the country hoping to make the final squad which will travel to Canada in June, we will publish the final team when Gridiron Australia announces it.

Good luck to all players who battled to make the squad, you can see the list of players below.